The very last of the physical breeding stock sales will occur on Friday at Karaka, with the 2022 New Zealand Bloodstock (NZB) National Weanling Sale taking place. With its 132-horse catalogue, this concise, one-day Sale is the final public auction of the season.

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Traditionally, it has always occurred in mid-May, sandwiched between the Inglis Breeding Stock Sales in Sydney and the Magic Millions National Sale on the Gold Coast. As such, it’s a relatively new gig in the first month of winter.

“This is the first time our weanling sale has been after those sales,” said Andrew Seabrook, the general manager of NZB. “It’s normally before the Gold Coast and Melbourne, so this is the first time we’ve had a June weanling sale and I’m hoping that it will be stronger, as a result.”

Seabrook said the strong results from the Australian sales bodes well for the New Zealand event.

“There are still people looking to buy, and not just pinhookers but more end-users,” he said. “I think the weanling sales have changed a bit over the years. Whereas it used to be more of a pinhooking game, now there are a lot of end-users, and even trainers, buying weanlings, and we’re expecting a pretty good Sale.”

Steady climb upwards

For NZB, Friday’s Sale has been a long time coming. It will be the first to represent a return to normality, with borders open and international visitors welcome without having to quarantine.

As such, the National Weanling Sale has enjoyed plenty of promotion in the last month, with NZB once again hosting its on-farm inspection tour that visited 20 different vendor locations, from the Auckland surrounds to the Waikato and Central Districts.

The catalogue will feature 132 horses, which is a steady rise on numbers since NZB adopted a weanling-only sale format in 2020. Even with COVID taken into account, that’s a promising fact, according to Seabrook.

“Key metrics have continued to climb across the board, and it tends to bring great participation by both international and domestic buyers,” he said. “With the market and demand for our New Zealand stock being so strong, we are really looking forward to selling more horses on behalf of our consignors.”

The first of the NZB weanling-only Sales was COVID-affected in 2020, but it still featured 82 lots on Gavelhouse for an average of NZ$17,401 and a 72 per cent clearance rate.

Last year, it was a physical sale albeit significantly affected by quarantine criteria, and there were 120 horses catalogued reaching an average of NZ$22,195. The clearance rate was 82 per cent.

The top lot statistics have climbed steadily too.

In 2020, the best seller was a Proisir colt that went to Anthony Cummings for NZ$107,500 from the draft of Curraghmore. Last year, that figure rose to NZ$145,000 for an Almanzor (Fr) colt that went to Hallmark Stud from the draft of Haunui Farm.

NZB will be hoping for similar results this week and, with borders open and Australians flying in, Seabrook has every reason to assume the steady climb will continue.

“It’s nice to have people on the grounds,” he said. “The vendors are reporting that it’s been pretty busy out there, and of course the last Sale that we had here at Karaka was closed to the public, so it’s good to have people back.”

The catalogue

The stats on Friday’s catalogue read pretty well.

While the best of domestic stallion talent is on offer, the progeny of 10 stakes-winning mares are among them, including Lot 7 for Little Avondale Stud, a Super Seth colt from the highly rated Xanadu (NZ) (Elusive City {USA}). Xanadu is a dual Group 1 winner.

There are almost 50 mares featured in the catalogue that are siblings to stakes performers, and they include Lot 42, a Jamieson Park filly by Too Darn Hot (GB) whose stakes-winning dam, Grazia (NZ) (Savabeel), is a full sister to the dual-Group 1 winner in Australia, the brilliant Shillelagh (NZ).

There’s also Lot 78, a Brighthill Farm colt whose dam, Pander (NZ) (O’Reilly {NZ}), is a half-sister to the brilliant Zabeel (NZ) gelding Precedence (NZ).

Gallery: Some highlights at the upcoming New Zealand Bloodstock National Weanling Sale, images courtesy of New Zealand Bloodstock

Within the catalogue, there are a number of weanlings that are siblings themselves to stakes winners.

Lot 20 is a colt from the draft of HGT Bloodstock, a son of Proisir from the Doneraile Court (USA) mare Celtic Crown (USA). He is a half-brother to the Savabeel filly Nicoletta (NZ), who won the G1 New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders' S. and a pair of Group 3 races, and she was Group-placed on five occasions.

There is also Lot 35 from Cambria Park, the U S Navy Flag (USA) colt that’s a half-brother to the G3 Bill Stutt S. winner The Holy One (NZ) (Tavistock {NZ}).

Valachi Dispersal

Recently, Friday’s catalogue was bolstered by the addition of 20 weanlings from the dispersal of Valachi Downs. They are the first on offer from the Matamata nursery’s complete stock of horses, all of which will eventually be sold.

They will appear very early in trade at Karaka, right before Lot 1, and they are the best of the Valachi youngsters, offered unreserved to the market.

“It’s sad that Valachi is winding down, but there’s an opportunity there for pinhookers and end-users,” Seabrook said. “There’s some nice stock among them, and they’ll go up at the start of the Sale on Friday, and then of course we sell the mares online on Gavelhouse the following week.”

The Valachi weanlings come from six individual sires, from the likes of U S Navy Flag and Ten Sovereigns (Ire) to War Decree (USA) and Turn Me Loose (NZ).

One of the most interesting among them, however, is Lot 1005, the draft’s only Savabeel colt and the third foal from the O’Reilly (NZ) mare Bohemian Lily (NZ).

Bohemian Lily won the G2 Doomben Roses and Listed Gold Bracelet in a stellar Queensland campaign in 2015, and she’s a full sister to the Champion Australian filly Shamrocker (NZ), who won the G1 Australian Derby and G1 Australian Guineas, and Vernanme (NZ), a G3 Taranaki Cup winner.

Bohemian Lily is also a half-sister to the G1 Auckland Cup winner Rock Diva (NZ) (Lucky Unicorn).

“This Savabeel colt from the Valachi draft could end up being a record price for a weanling sold here at Karaka,” Seabrook said.

According to Valachi Downs’ General Manager, Gareth Downey, who spoke candidly to TDN AusNZ this week, the 20 weanlings represent a very good collection that would otherwise be premium Karaka yearlings next year.

“This would have been our yearling draft in 2023, and it’s one that we would have been extremely happy to bring here to a yearling sale,” Downey said. “As we all know, those are not usually what makes up a weanling draft.

“We’re very happy with the draft and we’re doing the best we can. We’ve got a great team of people working hard and we’re selling very nice horses. We’d love it if we were carrying on with them, but that’s not to be.”

The 2022 New Zealand Bloodstock National Weanling Sale will kick off at Karaka at 11am NZST on Friday (9am AEST). Online bidding services will be available.

Friday’s action at the Royal meeting is also traditionally spearheaded by the G1 Coronation S. for the 3-year-old fillies, and this year’s race looks one of the very best in recent memory as two potential superstars lock horns in a clash that looks set to stir the imagination.

Race 1, G2 Albany S. - 1200m, 11.30pm AEST (2.30pm local)

Prizemoney: £100,000 (AU$174,000)

Despite being only maybe one or two runs into their careers, some of the juvenile fillies set to line up in the G2 Albany S. on Friday come into the race with glowing reputations to uphold and none more so than Meditate (Ire).

The daughter of No Nay Never (USA) will be aiming to give her trainer Aidan O’Brien a second win in the race following on from the win of Brave Anna (USA) (War Front {USA}) in 2016.

Owned by Coolmore, the 2-year-old is by their very own stallion No Nay Never, who is known for producing precocious 2-year-old speed and she looks just the type for the Albany S., where you have to have a touch of stamina to see out the 1200-metre trip.

Out of the winning Dalakhani (Ire) mare Pembina (Ire), the filly was purchased by Jamie McCalmont for €360,000 (AU$543,000) at the Arqana Deauville Yearling Sale and she has already proved herself a talented performer having taken out the G3 Sprint S. at Naas in May.

Meditate will be joined in the race by another daughter of the No Nay Never, with Queen Olly (Ire) set to take her chance in the Group 2.

She is trained by David Loughnane and raced by Amo Racing, who have made a huge investment into racing in Britain and Ireland in the last couple of years and they would no doubt feel that was all worth it should Queen Olly get her head in front.

Queen Olly galloped herself into contention for the race when producing an ultra impressive debut at York in May, but with more wins under her belt, Meditate undoubtedly has more experience than Queen Olly, which could come into play.

Darley’s flagship stallion Exceed And Excel has a very good chance of getting his name on the Royal Ascot score sheet and he will be represented by his daughter Mawji (Ire) in the Group 2 on Friday.

Bred and raced by Godolphin, Mawji could not have begun her career any more impressively when beating Believing (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}) by an emphatic 4.8l on debut at Newmarket in May. The George Boughey-trained Believing subsequently franked that form when she got off the mark on her next start at Wolverhampton and she will also take her chance in the Group 2 on Friday.

Race 2, G1 Commonwealth Cup, - 1200m, 12.05am AEST (3.05pm local)

Prizemoney: £500,000 (AU$870,000)

Next up is a sprint for the 3-year-olds - the G1 Commonwealth Cup - which was first run in 2015 and its most famous graduate is Caravaggio (USA), who landed the race for Aidan O’Brien in 2017.

This year’s contest has added interest from an international point of view, with leading American trainer Christophe Clement set to saddle his first runner at the Royal meeting in the shape of Slipstream (USA) - who is by former Vinery Stud shuttler More Than Ready (USA).

A Grade 3 winner as a juvenile, Slipstream was last seen landing a Listed race at Keeneland and he looks like he will stay every-inch of the 1200-metre trip and could be a very interesting runner for Team America.

Trainer Karl Burke has his horses in red-hot form and he will be hoping El Caballo (GB) (Havana Gold {Ire}) can continue the purple patch when he lines up in the Group 1 on Friday.

Since being beaten on debut, El Caballo has not been defeated in six starts, including two victories at stakes level, the second of these came in the G3 Sandy Lane S. at Haydock on his most recent start.

This has been a lucky race for Shadwell Stud, with the operation having landed it twice, first in its inaugural year in 2015 with Muhaarar (GB) and then again in 2018 when Eqtidaar (GB) galloped home in front.

Shadwell Stud, who kicked off the week in style when Baaeed (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) kept his unbeaten record intact in the G1 Queen Anne S., will hope to keep the enviable record in the G1 Commonwealth Cup unscathed when they run the Richard Hannon-trained Ehraz (GB) (Showcasing {GB}) in the 1200-metre Group 1.

A winner of his five career starts, Ehraz’s winning record does not tell the full story of either his ability or his good race record. He has consistently performed well at stakes level on his two previous starts, finishing third behind Go Bears Go (Ire) (Kodi Bear {GB}) in the G3 Commonwealth Cup Trial S. at Ascot in April, while was narrowly edged out by Tiber Flow (Ire) (Caravaggio {USA}) in the Listed Carnarvon S. at Newbury in May.

While the colt will clash with both the horses that got the better of him again on Friday, he looks to be on the improve and could just go to another level.

Race 4, G1 Coronation S. - 1600m, 1.20am AEST (4.20pm local)

Prizemoney: £500,000 (AU$869,000)

It is hard to believe it’s already Royal Ascot and the two most exciting fillies in Europe are only meeting for the first time as 3-year-olds in the G1 Coronation S. at the meeting.

This is billed to be one of the clashes of the week when John and Thady Gosden’s unbeaten filly Inspiral (GB) (Frankel {GB}) makes her seasonal debut against G1 1000 Guineas winner Cachet (Ire) (Aclaim {Ire}).

Off the track since her win in the the G1 Fillies’ Mile at Newmarket in October, Inspiral comes to Royal Ascot with a lofty reputation to uphold and while she looked to have the measure of Cachet as a juvenile, indeed the George Boughey-trained filly finished third behind her in the Group 1 at Newmarket, Cachet has certainly improved since last year and she will pose a very different challenge on Friday.

Since Inspiral’s absence, Cachet has confirmed her status as one of the very best 3-year-old fillies in Europe, galloping to a thrilling victory in the G1 1000 Guineas in May, before very nearly completing the double in the French equivalent only to be denied victory by a mere 0.1l.

If Cachet is going to beat Inspiral one would think this looks the perfect time, with the Gosden-trained filly perhaps needing the run having had such a long time off the track, while Cachet comes into the race riding a wave of confidence which could play into her hands nicely.

But what about the filly that denied Cachet the rare English and French Guineas double? Mangoustine (Fr) (Dark Angel {Ire}) will also take her place in the G1 Coronation S. and French-trained fillies have a good record in the race, with three of the last seven winners trained in France.

Mangoustine comes into the race a winner of four of her five career starts, with her only defeat coming in the G3 Prix de la Grotte, the race before her French Guineas triumph. If she can reproduce the form that saw her take out the French Classic, she could be in the mix in final stages of the 1600-metre race.

Race 6, G2 King Edward VII S., 2400m - 2.35am AEST (5.35pm local)

Prizemoney: £225,000 (AU$262,000)

Alenquer (Fr) (Adlerflug {Ger}), the winner of last year’s G2 King Edward VII S. will be familiar to Australian racing as the horse who beat Wednesday's G1 Prince Of Wales's S. winner State Of Rest (Ire) (Starspanngledbanner) in the G1 Tattersalls Gold Cup last month, so the race has thrown up some brilliant stars in the past.

For Australian fans this year there will be a familiar name on the trainers sheet as Charlie Fellowes - trainer of the popular multiple G1 Melbourne Cup placegetter Prince Of Arran (GB) (Shirocco {Ger}) - will saddle Grand Alliance (Ire) (Churchill {Ire}) in this year’s G2 King Edward VII S.

Last seen running a fast-finishing 11th in the G1 Epsom Derby earlier in the month, Grand Alliance is by Coolmore shuttler Churchill (Ire) and Fellowes has made no secret of the high regard he holds the colt in, believing him to be a future G1 Melbourne Cup contender.

Despite finishing second at Epsom in the Listed Blue Riband Trial in April, Grand Alliance didn’t look completely comfortable on the idiosyncratic track in the Derby and could just be one to watch at Ascot, which has proved a happy hunting ground for Fellowes in the past.

Changingoftheguard (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) also comes here after running a sound fifth in the G1 Epsom Derby. He is trained by Aidan O’Brien, who had to wait slightly longer than anticipated to get to his first winner on the board at Royal Ascot 2022, but once the master of Ballydoyle gets going he tends to prove unstoppable.

A winner of the G3 Chester Vase S. in May, Changingoftheguard is clearly a talented horse and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him prove himself too good for this field.

*The results from Day 3 of the meeting will be updated in this edition overnight.

However, Aidan O’Brien, who saddled the very horse whose record Stradivarius was vying to match, was not about to let the extraordinary tally be equalled without a fight and his talented 4-year-old Kyprios (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) proved an aimable protector, battling all the way to the line to deny Gosden’s popular entire his record-matching win.

Kyprios came into Thursday’s Group 1 having taken out his first black-type event in the Listed Vintage Crop S. in April, before following up that triumph in the G3 Levmoss S. the following month and he stayed on bravely all the way to the line to beat Mojo Star (Sea The Stars {Ire}) by 0.5l. Stradivarius endured a torrid passage and, after failing to find a gap, Frankie Dettori made the decision to go wide and eventually finished another 0.8l behind in third.

Kyprios, who was withdrawn after getting perturbed in the stalls before the G2 Queen's Vase 12 months ago, provided O'Brien with an eighth win in the race.

O'Brien, who trains the winner for Eva Maria Bucher Haefner, Sue Magnier, Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith and Georg von Opel, said: "Ryan gave him a brilliant ride – he held him and saved him, I thought. I'm delighted for everyone. He's a very brave horse. He's going to come forward more."

'Lots of good days to come'

Moore, who immediately after the race followed up the win with a victory aboard Thesis (GB) (Kingman {GB}) in the Britannia S., said the G1 Gold Cup was not the most enjoyable race to ride in.

"It wasn't a nice race to ride," Moore said. "He stepped slow, which is unusual for him and I didn't like the spot we were in as we were going slow. They were getting an easy time up front and I had to move him to the outside – I don't like doing that.

"We got going and he's got there and Mojo Star has come to us and that's when he's clicked in, it was comfortable at the line. It wasn't a true test today but I'm glad he came over here and won. There will be lots of good days with him. He was much the best."

Fresher legs make the difference

Meanwhile, Dettori took victory on the chin and said he didn’t feel coming wide cost him the victory.

"I tracked the winner and the pace wasn't that strong and in the end there was nowhere to go for the horse, so I had to take him to the outside. It cost me a little bit but I don't think it cost him. He had plenty of time to get there and the younger horses had fresher legs,” he said.

"I didn't make too much headway when I pulled him out – maybe half a length – and as I hit the line they were going stronger than me.

"It's been a good era and he owes nothing to racing – he's been a magnificent horse. He went out fighting."

In winning the race, Kyprios became the 95th Group 1 winner for Coolmore’s late sire Galileo (Ire) and he is out winning mare Polished Gem (Ire) (Danehill {USA}), making him a brother to dual Group 1-winning filly Search For A Song (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}).

The 4-year-old also counts Free Eagle (Ire) (High Chaparral {Ire}), who won the G1 Prince Of Wales’s S. at the corresponding meeting in 2015, and Group 2-winning duo Custom Cut (Ire) (Notnowcato {GB}) and Sapphire (Ire) (Medicean {GB}) among his half-siblings.

Magical day for Yulong at Royal Ascot

Yulong’s growing influence on global racing and bloodstock soared to new heights on Thursday as the Jessica Harrington-trained Magical Lagoon (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) - who is owned by the Australian-based outfit - toughed it out to win the G2 Ribblesdale S. at Royal Ascot.

A Group 3 winner as juvenile, Magical Lagoon made her appearance this season with a narrow second-place finish behind Concert Hall (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) in the Listed Salsabil S. in April and she put that performance behind her when she repelled the advances of Sea Silk Road (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), eventually beating her by 0.5l.

“Magical Lagoon stays very well and that’s the great thing about her. She was staying when she ran in Navan all the way to the line. She was lucky the race worked out well for her today, she battled back well.”

Bred by Coolmore, Yulong purchased the filly for 305,000gns at Book 1 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale from the WH Bloodstock draft and she is out of German Group 2 winner Night Lagoon (Ger) (Lagunas {GB}), making her a half-sister to multiple Group 1-winning champion Novellist (Ire) (Monsun {Ger}).

Coolmore’s late multiple Champion Sire Galileo (Ire) has sired 354th stakes winners in total and in winning this year’s renewal of the G2 Ribblesdale S. Magical Lagoon became the third winner in the race for her sire, with G1 Mackinnon S. winner Magic Wand (Ire) having taken it out in 2018, while he was represented by his first victor in the Group 2 when Curvy (GB) galloped to victory in 2015.

Brazen Beau’s The Ridler takes the Norfolk

Darley Kelvinside’s Brazen Beau sired his 19th stakes winner on Thursday when the Richard Fahey-trained The Ridler (GB) triumphed in a dramatic running of the G2 Norfolk S. at Royal Ascot.

Ridden by Paul Hanagan, the colt was racing on the far side and as the field entered the final stages, The Ridler began to drift starkly right across the field, but eventually came away with 1.8l win over Walbank (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}), while Crispy Cat (GB) (Ardad {Ire}) was another 0.ll away in third.

Immediately after crossing the line the steward's inquiry claxon chimed, but after a short deliberation, they decided The Ridler’s drift had not had an effect on the end result and he was eventually declared the winner. However, Hanagan, who had his stick in the incorrect hand throughout the race, was slapped with a ten-day ban.

The Ridler came into the race having won his second start at Ripon and he was last seen finishing a narrow third over 1000 metres at Beverley on May 28.

Bred by Steve Bradley, The Ridler is from the final Northern Hemisphere crop of Brazen Beau who shuttled to Darley’s Dalham Hall in Newmarket for four seasons, but he did not return in 2019.

The Ridler becomes the seventh Northern Hemisphere-bred stakes winner for the stallion and the septet also includes the Charlie Fellowes-trained Group 3 winner Vadream (GB) (Brazen Beau), who will line up alongside Home Affairs (Home Affairs) and Artorius (Flying Artie) in the G1 Platinum Jubilee S. on Saturday.

The 4-year-old mare will be looking to go one better than her sire who finished an agonising second in the 2015 edition of the Group 1. Incidentally, Vadream is bred on a similar cross to The Ridler, with the former being out of a Shamardal (USA) mare, while the latter is out of a mare by Shamardal’s son Lope De Vega (Ire).

Brazen Beau’s progeny is headed by G1 Manawatu Sires Produce S. winner On The Bubbles and he will stand the upcoming breeding season for a fee of $44,000 (inc GST).

Claymore thwarts Royal runner

Australian expat Jane Chapple-Hyam has her horses in brilliant form and after saddling Saffron Beach (Ire) (New Bay {GB}) to victory in the G2 Duke Of Cambridge S. on Wednesday, the Newmarket handler sent out her second winner of the week when Claymore (Fr) - who is also by New Bay (GB) - denied The Queen a victory in the G3 Hampton Court S. at Royal Ascot on Thursday.

In the lead up to the race all the talk was about the John and Thady Gosden-trained Reach For The Moon (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), but, despite coming with a run down the centre of the track, the colt was unable to get the better of Claymore, who scampered away with a 1.8l victory.

In winning the race, Claymore put a disappointing last-start performance in the G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains (French 2000 Guineas) behind him and reproduced the sort of form that saw him run outstanding 3-year-old Native Trail (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}) within 3.5l in the G3 Craven S. in April.

The victory provided the Ballylinch Stud-based sire New Bay (GB) with his sixth stakes winner and he stood for a fee of €37,500 (AU$56,000) in 2022.

What a week it’s been so far and we’re only halfway through! After such a torrid few years it’s great to be back at Ascot and the action on the track has been wonderful.

Obviously, it kicked off at the Goffs UK London Sale and I was lucky enough to secure Derby runner-up Hoo Ya Mal for £1.2 million and he will race on for Go Bloodstock and Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott, who have been such wonderful clients of mine and Susie for a number of years, so it was great to be able to get the horse for them.

I am already looking forward to seeing what he does in Australia, because I think he will really suit it down there - it is very exciting.

The Sale is a great way to kick off a brilliant week at the races. Goffs do put on such a brilliant event - beautiful setting, nice horses and plenty of rosé - what more could you want?

Wednesday was a brilliant day. To watch State Of Rest back up his win in the Cox Plate was thrilling and I was so pleased for Henry Field, because not only is he a great mate, but he does so much for the industry so it is brilliant to see all his hard work come to fruition. But it was also wonderful for the Cashmans from Rathbarry, who will stand the horse during his time in the Northern Hemisphere.

I am a big believer in Starspanngledbanner and I think State Of Rest will fit so well into the Australian breeding sphere. To win four Group 1 wins in four different countries is quite remarkable and in such a short space of time too, he is some horse. He is such an amazing horse because I think he will have significance in many places and looks to be a really exciting prospect for both Newgate and Rathbarry.

I was also happy to see another great mate Steve Parkin (Clipper Logistics) have a winner with Dramatised in the Queen Mary S., and also one that he bred as well, which was brilliant and the performance was outstanding - to watch a 2-year-old filly do that on her second start was quite brilliant.

But then I was also pleased for Ben and Lucy Sangster who won the Duke Of Cambridge with Saffron Beach and that was such an impressive performance from a very good filly, she seems to be getting better with every run and she could definitely have more to give.

The atmosphere on the track has been electric, I can’t think of any time I have felt an atmosphere like this, it’s amazing. I was at a picnic in the Owners and Trainers and there were about 50 per cent Australians, 25 per cent English and 25 per cent Irish - so we were totally outnumbered by our Australian friends and you can imagine, after their meeting so far, how loud it was!

Australians have made the meeting this year - they just bring with them so much enthusiasm and they just know how to celebrate, with a few beers. After the past two years, everyone is saying this year is different, it is like a breath of fresh air - it’s like a new life and everyone is grateful to be back, genuinely I think people have been so humbled and now grateful to be back on a racecourse.

The Newgate picnic was most certainly the place to be last night (Wednesday), it was a lot of fun. It was like being in The Oak in Double Bay, every Aussie under the sun was there getting stuck into the festivities, which is what Ascot is all about.

God knows what will happen if Home Affairs or Artorius win the Platinum Jubilee - it could get really wild!

Cover image courtesy of The Bulletin, Nov 1969

When the chocolate-coloured Eye Liner was doing her thing in 1964/65, 2-year-old racing was just finding its rich feet. The Golden Slipper was less than a decade old, and horses like Vain and Baguette had yet to emerge.

What had arrived, however, was the Star Kingdom (Ire) era in Australia, and it enjoyed such widespread and continued success that it was quickly, savagely even, the most prolific sireline the length of the country.

Star Kingdom was a son of Stardust (GB), but he wasn’t the only son of that horse to hit high notes. The other was Smokey Eyes (Ire), and between them this pair ‘set up the history-making Stardust dynasty of championship speed’.

Standing as the foundation stallion at Lyndhurst Stud Farm on the Darling Downs, Smokey Eyes led the Australian sire table (by races won) for 12 consecutive seasons. He was Champion Broodmare Sire in 1970/71, and he was Queensland’s leading sire for 11 years on the reel, from 1963 to 1974.

Smokey Eyes lived to be 27 years old at Lyndhurst Stud Farm and, of all his brilliant progeny, none were better than the quick slip of a filly, the 2-year-old Eye Liner. She was foaled on the farm in 1962, a daughter of New Venn whose sire, Newtown Wonder (GB), was a prolific speedster.

Throughout her career, Eye Liner was raced by her Lyndhurst studmasters, the brothers Percy and Ted Kruger. She was trained in Brisbane by Jack Wilson, and she had arguably the best juvenile career of any horse in Queensland ever.

She won her first eight starts on Brisbane tracks, carrying frightening weights like 67 and 69 kilograms in juvenile contests. With such a withering run of success, she went south to Sydney to meet the likes of T.J. Smith’s Peace Council and the Golden Slipper winner Reisling (Rego {Ire}).

The three horses met in a ding-busting edition of the 1965 Champagne S. at Randwick, and Eye Liner just got the better of Reisling in a race-record time of 1:09.9. It was a famous victory, one that also knocked off Todman as the race’s quickest winner.

Eye Liner returned to Brisbane and proved an overall winner of 14 races from 25 lifetime starts. While the Champagne S. was her benchmark, and one that she never bettered, she won what is now the G1 Kingsford-Smith Cup in 1967.

She retired to a long and lovely life back at Lyndhurst Stud, where she met a succession of the farm’s resident stallions from 1968 to 1983. Among them was Grand Chaudiere (Can), that ‘strong and shapely Canadian horse’ whom the Kruger brothers had had the foresight to import in 1972, shortly before the passing of old Smokey Eyes.

To Grand Chaudiere, Eye Liner got the 1977 George Ryder S. winner Pacific Ruler (Grand Chaudiere {Can}), while that horse’s full brother, Pacific Prince, held the 1350-metre Australian record for a long time, clocked at Doomben.

On August 25, 1988, the year of the Bicentennial in Australia, Eye Liner was put down at Lyndhurst Stud at the age of 26. She’d had a fruitful and exciting life, one worthy of a stakes race in her honour.

Her legacy continued to live on after she was gone, with her granddaughter, Mean Eyes (Al Ameen {USA}), producing the quadruple Group 1 winner Grand Archway (Archway {Ire}).